


Remember Me

by panna_acida



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, M/M, Moulin Rouge References, Song Lyrics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:29:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28196217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/panna_acida/pseuds/panna_acida
Summary: Music drifted softly to Geralt ears, voices echoed around the wall of his tiny apartment and a figure appeared like a dream on the balcony in front of him. Same eyes, same hair, even if just a little bit longer, and same sad smile of the last time. Jaskier.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Remember Me

**Author's Note:**

> So, this fic was born because of a chat with a friend on tumblr, and it started as a Mouline Rouge AU but then along the way it became a reincarnation AU and then something else, I still don't understand.  
> Just to top it all no beta. I tried to correct everything I found (badly mostly), but for me makes sense... for others? Don't know.  
> That's why I'm sorry.
> 
> Also enjoy the ride.

Geralt stared at the colorful building on the other side of the street, bustling with buzzling life and light. 

Music drifted softly to Geralt ears, voices echoed around the wall of his tiny apartment and a figure appeared like a dream on the balcony in front of him. Same eyes, same hair, even if just a little bit longer, and same sad smile of the last time. _Jaskier_.

“JASKIER!” A thunderous voices made the man jump on the spot and turn around, before a deep sigh escaped his lips and a soft smile formed on his face.

“Zoltan…” Jaskier whispered shaking his head with a fond smile on his face.

“Don’t Zoltan me, kid.” The man that Geralt couldn’t see, said from behind a wall. “It’s time for your performance, go and change, be ready because later you are going to encounter the count.” A grunt and a sigh, made Geralt smile after a really long time, with tender memories of a time when everything was simple, and the world wasn’t so complicated. “Don’t make that face, I know you hate that man and trust me, I do to, but you know how this shit works, considering you are the one that hired me to run this hell hole of a...”

“HEY!” An indignant squawk escaped Jaskier lips. “Don’t talk like that about my baby the Rosemary and Thyme.”

“Yeah, yeah, now change and get ready it’s your time to shine and be our brightest star” A soft click, resonated in Geralt ears followed only from few second of silence and Jaskier sigh, before some rustling started to fill again the Witcher ears, making Geralt finally snap back to reality and move inside the room, to search for few money to go to see the bard. Alive.

“You saw him right?” Eskel voice reached Geralt’s ear.

“Hm.” More rustling from Geralt side, till a pouch of coin emerged from a bag.

“He doesn’t remember anything Geralt.” Eskel hand grabbed Geralt’s wrist in a firm hold. “Don’t rush, don’t push and just look, he isn’t the same. You need to wait, like we talked to.”

“I know, but…”

“Just be carefull, or you are going to break him again.” Eskel ended, finally letting Geralt go and stepping away from the door frame.

“I know.” Geralt whispered just before closing the door of their apartment with a soft click and moving on. “ _I know_.” One last whispered, before Geralt disappeared down the stairs.

\---

The Rosemary and Thyme looked flamboyant, colorful, chaotic. Full of life, breathing in every aspect Jaskier essence, his name, his being. His everything.

Girl in skinny clothes moved around carrying plate with food and beverages. Table were scattered around the main floor with chatty man and woman laughing and drinking, and on both sides of the hall little balconies overlooked the main stage, where the orchestra was according instruments and dancers were readying themselves for the main show, before silence descended and the lights turned off.

Music started to fill the hall. Dancer moved behind the scene, the audience shut down and the curtain opened revealing a swing hanging from the ceiling, covered in bright colored flowers moving slowly.

“Ladies and Gentleman” The conductor started with a slow tune, and complete silence fall in the hall letting Zoltan voice resonate around the hall. “There was a boy, a very strange, enchanted boy. They said he wandered very far, over land and sea, a little shy…” Jaskier walked into view, covered in a red cape humming a sad melody. “And sad of eyes, but very wise he…” Jaskier with so much grace turned around letting the hood fall and his hair free from the confine. “And then one day, a magic day, he passed my way, and while we spoke of many things, fools and kings. This he said to me…” Zoltan bowed lightly before disappearing behind the scene leaving Jaskier alone on stage.

The light shut down, the music raised and Jaskier voice filled every little space in Geralt broken heart, letting tears fall slowly down his cheeks.

_The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return._

\---

The night rolled like a blur in front of Geralt’s eyes, with Jaskier singing, dancing and keeping everyone attention on him, till the final note resonated in the hall, the last word rolled out of his mouth and hit Geralt like an arrow, right trough his heart letting some memories comes back to life.

“He remember…” Geralt whispered,, before raising from his position and moving toward the backstage, to finally talk to him again, hug him, kiss him.

\---

Geralt moved, lightly around the back corridors, following Jaskier scent and his voice filtering trough the walls. Voice that was followed soon after by other two, one of wich Geralt recognized as Zoltan and the other one so sickeningly sweet that made his stomach roll in unpleasant way.

“Jaskier” Zoltan voice filtered into the corridor thanks to the slightly open door, with a hint of disgust coloring his tone. “You remember our amazing donor the Count Marx right?” 

“Of course, it’s a pleasure to meet you again Count.” Jaskier answered in what was the most fake sweet voice Geralt listened the man use.

“Oh, you amazing flower it’s not necessary all this onorific, you can call me Valdo.” The voice, the disgusting voice said, before a loud smack made Geralt freeze on the spot and peak a little his head around the corner, just to see Jaskier grimace at the kiss on his hand, before putting on again the fake mask and smiling at the Count that finally raised his head just to look at the man in the eyes.

“Of course Valdo, it’s going to be amazing seeing you again here next week.” With that, Jaskier turned toward Zoltan that just nodded, before bowing in a more flourish way toward the Count and escorting the man out of Jaskier changing room, much to the Count potrest.

Geralt just didn’t move from his position till he was sure no one was going to interrupt his little chat with Jaskier.

“Jaskier” Geralt started in a whisper, making the man jump and turn around, before taking a step back with a frightened expression on his face.

“Who the hell are you, and why are you here in my room?”

“Jaskier, I’m Geralt you remember me, your song was…”

“I don’t know you.” Jaskier stopped Geralt mid sentence and moved to take the little bell sitting on the table.

“WAIT!” Geralt shouted, regretting his action the moment Jaskier froze on the spot, with his hand hanging mid action over the little golden bell, and his eyes moving frantically from his face to the bell and vice versa. “I’m moving away… see?” Geralt said raising his hand in surrender and moving toward the window on the balcony, making finally Jaskier relax a bit. “I just thought you remembered me because of the song, I thought…” Geralt shook his head with a sad smile forming on his lips. “I should have listened to Eskel, I...” Sighing, Geralt turned around and moved toward the balcony ready to go back home, using the rooftops of the building around him.

“Wait” Jaskier tentative voice stopped Geralt, making the man turn around. “Why you know me, why it seems I know you” Jaskier asked tilting his head a little and looking up and down Geralt, like it was the first time.

“It’s a long story” Geralt answered, not ready to make Jaskier new world crumble at his feet.

“I’m good at listening, and something tells me I should listen to you… even if I don’t know why.” Jaskier ended, taking few step toward Geralt extending one hand out as an invitation to take it.

“Maybe not now. It’s not the best time to tell a story.”

“Maybe now, is the best time to tell the sto…” A coughing fit stopped Jaskier from ending his little talk, making the man double over, while covering his mouth with one hand.

“Are you…?” Geralt started, taking a step closer to the other man, but was stopped by a hand.

“It’s ok.” Jaskier raspy voice reached Geralt ears. “It’s ok.” Jaskier repeated again, while plastering a fake smile on his face, just to look at the other and pretend that everything was fine.

_It isn’t_. Geralt thought, but didn’t said that out loud, when a tiny hint of blood smell reached his nose and made Geralt try to pin point the source, because that was Jaskier blood…

“Jaskier?” Zoltan voice made Geralt freeze on the spot and take few step back, just enough to reach the balcony window, and Jaskier turn slowly around and straightening his back.

“I’M COMING!” Jaskier shouted back, turning just a little to look at Geralt and whisper. “Go, and please come back, I want to ear your story even if I don’t know why.” Jaskier, like that ended tilting lightly to the side looking at Geralt, before shrugging and moving toward the exit of the room and toward the stage and the lights, again, leaving Geralt to look at his retreating back.

\---

“YEN HE ISN’T DOING WELL, HE COUGH BLOOD, HE CONTINUED TO COUGH BLOOD THINKING I CAN’T SEE HIM!!!” Geralt shouted, pacing the room, two big steps at the time, while Yennefer just sighed and shrugged.

“And what do you want from me? You know I can’t use my magic, not at the moment at last. He just needs to go to see a doctor and ask for a modern medicine.” Yennefer sighed uncrossing his legs and standing, knowing full well that a doctor couldn’t do anything for the bard. “Geralt” Yennefer moved slowly, trying to look calm even if she wasn’t. “You need to let him go, at last for now, we can find him again, we can search for him in his next life and maybe…”

“NO!” Geralt shouted, turning around and stopping Yennefer words with a simple gesture. “No, don’t say it, don’t do that, you know how much time it took us to find him, you know how much he is guarded after the little story I told him.” Yennefer at that just stared Geralt up and down shaking his head. “I basically told him a fairytale and he still look at me like I am some kind of…” At that Geralt just sighed and turned back, looking at the balcony on the other side of the road, behind the curtain hiding Jaskier.

“You know?” Yennefer started again moving near Geralt, facing out of the window. “You never talked that much, but yes I understand you, but you also need to understand me and the situation we are in Geralt. I can’t interfere with the current medicine, you know I can’t, not now, not at the moment and with them following us.”

“I know.” whispered Geralt. “I know.” Geralt sighed turning around.

“Also we need to stick to the plan if you still want to save him.” Yennefer ended leaving Geralt alone, looking out of the room toward his past, his present and maybe his future.

\---

“All you need is love” Jaskier started singing, laughing lightly and going to boop Geralt nose with his index finger, before turning around to look at the vastity of dresses scattered on the mattress.

“ _All I need is you remembering._ ” Geralt whispered, while Jaskier hummed his own song.

“Jaskier, are you ready for the Count?” Zoltan voice stopped the happy humming, and froze the man on the spot.

“Go!” Jaskier hissed, turning around to look Geralt in the eyes. “I totally forgot about the count... fuck! No, there is not enough time for that, go and… and… in the closet!!! Move!” Jaskier said without waiting for an answer and starting to push the other man, toward said closet. “YES! Just a moment.” Shouted, before closing the door on Geralt faces, and launching himself on the sofa. “Please come in.” Announced, taking one of the dresses in his hand, rolling the fabric between his finger, trying to calm his beating heart.

“My dear…” The Count entered the room bowing lightly, before closing the door on Zoltan face.

“Count Marx, it’s a pleasure.” Jaskier said, raising from the sofa and extending his right hand for the Count to kiss. Hand that the man took in his, leaving a very wet kiss and a trail of other small one behind, much to Jaskier disgust, completely hidden behind a smile. “I’m really happy you made to the opening of our new show.”

“Oh dear, I already told you to call me Valdo, right? Also I wouldn’t have lost it.” The Count announced, never leaving Jaskier hand, and actually gripping it with more force. “For nothing.” Ended with a little smile on his face.

“I was hoping for that.” Jaskier said, extracting his hand from the tight grip, before turning and moving toward the bed, to examine the dresses.

“My dear” The Count slimy voice, reached his hear, the same moment his hot breath reached his neck, making Jaskier shiver in disgust. “I was hoping for our night to be more fun, like it was the other week, like it would be for more then few times in the following weeks.”

“My Lord” Jaskier, shivered thinking about that man hands on his body again, but turned around plastering the biggest fake smile he could master. “It would be my honor, but at the moment Im busy choosing the outfit, and I need to rest because we are near the opening of the show and the rehearsal are all day, every day and unfortunately I’m really tired at the moment.” Jaskier continued, moving a step to the side, just to have more room to move before taking the Count hand in his and bowing. “Soon I will be yours.”

“Soon.” The Count chimed back with a smile growing bigger and bigger on his face. “But before that, I have a gift for my beautiful song bird.” The Count said, fishing from inside his inside pocket a beautiful ring that, promptly put on Jaskier middle finger, leaving the man with his mouth open. “This” The Count Marx started, admiring the big diamond on the gold ring band. “This is only the beginning of what you will have in the future, my beauty. My star, my pretty caged bird.” Ended bowing his head, before going to leave a kiss on slightly chapped lips. “I will wait, just for you. Only for you.”

Geralt just stared, stunned and in complete silence, while that little show unfolded in front of him. From Jaskier disgusted face, the moment the Count hand touched him, to the little sly smile forming on the Count face. Everything, till the moment the door closed with a soft click behind the pig back leaving Jaskier alone, falling on his knees on the hard floor, taking the ring and launching the little golden band to the other side of the room.

_Wrong. Wrong. Wrong_.

Geralt, entered again the room with light step trying to not to spook Jaskier more than he already was, reaching for the other man back and going to hug from behind still scared of the reaction, of rejection, but obtaining the exact opposite the moment his hand circled Jaskier waist, feeling the tension melts.

“Sorry.” Jaskier voice reached his ears few second later, tired and old despite his young years this time around. Tired and old, despite his young age.

“It’s ok” Geralt whispered letting go, even if with regrets, Jaskier body.

“You need to go.” Jaskier said, smiling a little sad smile.

“I…”

“Go, please.”

“Ok.”

“Thank you.” Jaskier breathed out, now with a little genuine smile gracing his lips. “For everything, even if I still don’t know why you are here with me.”

“Because you deserve it, and if you ever need me just scream my name and I will be here in a moment. Only for you.”

A laugh, a head shake.

“You can’t be here always, but thanks again for the thought. Now, thank you and goodbye.” With that final word, Jaskier turned around and disappeared behind the curtain, ending the little chat, and the possibility for Geralt to explain himself. _He still don’t believe me_. With that in mid, Geralt just moved out of the room, and into the balcony to be able to reach a little passage he created thanks to Yennefer and Eskel, back toward their apartment. Toward home.

\---

More days passed, with this back and forth between his apartment and Jaskier room. Between wanting to kill the Count and not wanting to upset Jaskier again.

Geralt was torn, and he still didn’t know what to do because it was clear that whatever disease Jaskier had, it wasn’t getting better. It was getting worse by the day, and Jaskier didn’t even cared.

“Jaskier?” Geralt tried _again_ , the night before the first of the new show.

“Yes Geralt?” Jaskier answered, from his position in front of the vanity where he was putting some make-up, and some final touch on his face. “Don’t try to stop me again, because you know I would never do that.” Jaskier continued without turning around, but stopping his motion, just to look at Geralt through the mirror.

“Hm.” Geralt, hummed taking his eyes away from Jaskier, few second before closing the distance between them. “Please, at last be careful, tell Zoltan how do you feel, talk to him…”

“Stop!” Jaskier said in an icy voice, turning around to look better Geralt. “Don’t put Zoltan into this, don’t put your pretty nose into something you don’t know, in a life that is not yours. In MY life.” Jaskier continued, putting an accent on ‘my’, before turning around ignoring the turmoil swimming in Geralt golden eyes.

“My pretty nose…” Geralt whispered in awe with a little smile. “I know…”

“No.” Jaskier finally snapped, raising from his chair, turning around and pointing a weak finger on Geralt chest. “You don’t know anything about me, you think you know, but you don’t. Stop putting your hand in my life. Stop turning upside down all my feeling, stop giving me hope.” Jaskier ended, with a soft sigh, shaking his head. “Now leave me alone, or I’m going to call the guard.” Jaskier said, before turning around for real and closing off everything around, and inside him. Feeling, he didn’t want, feeling he didn’t need, not at the moment, not ever.

Geralt, opened and closed his mouth, like a fish out of water not knowing what to say, because he knew Jaskier was right, he knew he didn’t have any right to poke into his life and pretend to know things he didn’t, and yet… falling on one knee at eye level with Jaskier, Geralt whispered an “ _I’m sorry_ ,” full of love, before cupping Jaskier head in his hand and turn him around, just to leave a tender kiss that tasted like salt from falling tears, regrets and a lot of buried emotion.

“WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING HERE?”

The shout from the door, made both man turn and look at the shocked expression of the Count Marx, and Zoltan shaking his head behind in fond exasperation. 

“Sir.” Zoltan started putting himself in front of the scene, blocking the two. “I told you, he was rehearsing some scene and this is the last one, when the protagonist save our prince from the evil.”

“But they were kissing!” The Count continued, going to point at the two still on the floor, where they slipped during the kiss. 

“Oh no my kind sir, it was a fake kiss”

“Yes my lord” Jaskier added, raising from the floor and reaching the Count, before bowing his head and taking the man hand in his. “See” Jaskier, touched his lips with a finger, taking away a little bit of lipstick. “He didn’t touch me at all.”

“Oh.” The Count sighed, taking a deep breath before turning his eyes toward Geralt. “Good, because I don’t like that man here, or anywhere near you my dear songbird, because you are mine, only mine.” Continued the Lord, going to leave a trail of kiss along Jaskier neck. “Please leave us alone, you and…” Count Marx ended, pointing at Geralt with a disgusted face and a dismissive hand gesture. “... that, because me and the songbird here, need to talk. A lot.” Ended with a slimy smile, before going back to his work.

“Yes sir.” Zoltan said, bowing before taking Geralt hand and literally dragging the man out of the room, leaving like that Jaskier in the hand of monster.

“Stop growling he is not yours, you can’t force him in anything, and more than that leave him alone.”

“But he is dying!”

“I know!” Zoltan hissed, before taking a deep breath and continuing in a more calm way. “I know, but you can’t force him to do what you want to do. You can’t cage him, you can’t strap his wings, you need to let him go if you love him.” With that, Zoltan just turned around and left Geralt in the hallway in front of a closed door, one step away from his life.

“Everyone know, and yet...” Geralt just sighed, before moving away from everything his heart was shouting at, but Zoltan was right he couldn’t force Jaskier into anything.

\---

“Ciri?” Geralt looked at the woman sitting on the sofa in front of the window.

“Hey, dad.” Ciri, just smiled before looking again out of the window, looking at Jaskier room, looking at… “he is crying” Ciri whispered, turning around to look at Geralt.

“I know.”

“When are we going to do something about that piece of…”

“Tonight.” Geralt stopped the woman, shaking his head in fond exasperation. “Tonight I’m going to take him away. Tonight I’m going to show him everything he needs to know to remember. Everything.”

Geralt just tuned on Jaskier muffled hiccups, on his heartbeat, on every little movement coming from his room, zoning out till Ciri poked him on a side.

“You want to come with me?” Geralt asked, starting to move around the room just to do something, just to take his mind and ears out of that room, and what just happened and what was going to happen if he didn’t stop everything.

“i will, but I’m not going to interfere.” Ciri said, raising from his chair and stopping in front of Geralt. “He is going to be ok, you are both going to be ok, you know that… right?”

“No, I don’t” Geralt answer truthfully. “Ciri he is dying, I don’t know, I don’t…”

Ciri at that, just moved to cup Geralt head in his smaller hand. 

“He is going to be ok, trust me.”

“Hm.”

“Go and put something more appropriate for the first.” Ciri laughed, pushing Geralt back before moving out of the room. “Oh, be ready in two hours, or I’m going to leave you here.” With that Ciri just disappeared behind the wall, probably to talk to Yen about the night, about the set up, about the _fight_ in front of them.

“Hm.” Geralt grunted, going to sit of the floor in front of the bed just to meditate and free his mind from what was hunting him, focusing only on Jaskier and their little rescue mission.

\---

“Ready?” Yennefer voice, soft despite everything they were going trough reached his ears.

“Hm.”

“Let’s go.”

With that said, the little group moved in the direction of The Rosemary and Thyme, with one mission in mind. Save Jaskier.

\---

The Rosemary and Thyme, was crowded, patrons were moving around with glasses of champagne in one hand, dancer jumped from side to side, trying to avoid costumers and waitress. The orchestra was according the instruments, the crew of the show was putting the final touch on the stage and Jaskier was nowhere to be seen.

Zoltan from one side of the room directed all the works like an orchestra conductor, while at the same time talking with the Count Marx trying to keep the man out of the backstage, and away from their main star.

Geralt moved around the floor, blending between the crowd, avoiding the guard that probably the Count put out for him or simply to keep Jaskier caged in his little golden room. Moved with one idea in his mind free Jaskier, let him finally be free. 

Everything stilled, when a soft voice started to waft around the room, silencing every chat, stopping every movement from the dancer to the waitress, from the patrons to the musician. Jaskier emerged from behind the scene, covered in a bright red robe, and with a golden crown perched on his head humming a sad song.

_I follow the night_   
_Can't stand the light_

_When will I begin?_   
_To live again?_

Slowly and still humming, Jaskier seated on the swing positioned in the middle of the stage starting to move back and forth, while one of the stage operator started to pull up the swing letting Jaskier dangle his legs, singing

_One day I'll fly away_   
_Leave all this to yesterday_   
_What more could your love do for me_   
_When will love be through with me_   
_Why live life from dream to dream_   
_And dread the day when dreaming ends_

Jaskier continued, letting his eyes scan the crowd and stopping on Geralt golden one, smiling a sad and resigned smile, before grabbing the crown and trowing the fake object toward the Count with disgust written all over his face, turning around again just to look one last time at Geralt.

_One day I'll fly away_   
_Fly fly away_

And Jaskier let his body fall backward, toward the floor, toward death.

“NO!” Geralt shouted and a golden ring appeared just under Jaskier, letting the man disappear from the eyes of the crowd, of the Count and everyone that occupied the room, leaving behind only a little ring and a fake broken crown.

\---

Jaskier wake up slowly on a soft bed with no more pain in his chest, with no more blood taste in his mouth.

“Wha..?”

“Shhh” Gentle and calloused hand covered his eyes. “Go back to sleep, you need to rest Jas. Sleep.” With that soft voice echoing in his ears Jaskier fell asleep again, dreaming of a different world, of a different time.

The second time Jaskier woke up, Geralt was sitting beside him with one hand gripping his left one in a tight hold, eyes closed and with what Jaskier could only describe as a peaceful smile gracing his lips.

“Mh?” Jaskier started, but Geralt was faster. Eyes snapping open to look frantically around him, before landing on Jaskier’s one.

“You are awake.”

“Yeah?”

“You want some information on what happened.”

“Yeah, and also why nothing hurt anymore and why I have some memories of you even if I know you only from two weeks? What’s happening?” Jaskier stopped few second looking around the room he was in, to the little to no furniture decorating the four walls, the piles of book at the feet of the bed and the warm fur covering the bed he was in. “And why this all look so familiar?” Ended tilting his head before turning around to look again Geralt in the eyes.

“It’s going to be a long story, one that you won’t believe, one that some friend will help telling.” Geralt started, moving from the chair to the corner of the bed, taking again Jaskier hand in his, and starting to stroke a thumbs over his palm.

“Ok.”

“Good.” Geralt smiled, and closed his eyes. “Once upon a time in a different world, in a different time there was…”

And that was how Jaskier, with a little help of magic, a little help from new and old friend started to regain his memories. How slowly started to forgive Geralt, how his world finally started to fall back into the right place, with the love of his life and his amazing and strange family.


End file.
